Tosafot Ratio
String Ratio Rationale
From https://www.tekhelet.com/tying-overview/:
“Tosafot-Rashi Two full strings (when folded becomes four of the eight strings) must be Tekhelet (Menachot 39a and 41b “Bet Shammai”)”
More info about this ratio can be found here: https://www.tekhelet.com/tekhelet-tying-faq/
Who Supports This Ratio
Tying methods used with this ratio
(Note: the GR”A’s string ratio is unclear but due to popularity is included in this list.)
Notable People Wearing this Ratio
Audio Shiurim
Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz – Ten Minute Halacha – How Many String Should Be Techeiles and How Many White?
Rabbi Yonasan Sacks – Shelach: Tzitzis – Techeiles and Lavan
Archeaological Support for Tosafot Ratio
Tosafot Tying Questions
- 1) Is the Rambam with or without a double knot at the top? 2) Is it true that we have archaeological evidence that the halacha for the number of strings follows Tosafos? 1) The Rambam himself does not speak of any double knot – nor does anyone from his time or earlier. The double knot was introduced by the Tosafot. They reasoned that a knot should be a knot that is forbidden on Shabbat. However this is not the opinion of other poskim. When the Gemara talked […]
- According to the Baal Hatanya’s Shulchan Aruch one follows Tosofot’s opinion on techelet as in 2 whole stings blue but tying like the Ari”zals method. I would like to know how Tosofot came to the idea that there are 2 whole strings becuase of the language in the possuk it would seem only 1 string would be blue I have searched your website but I cant seem to find any answer to my question besides some of the writing in Hebrew. My Hebrew isn’t the best for the time being so if it is possible can you give the reason why Tosafot and Rashi follow this way or even why the Sifri would follow this way? Tosafot makes his opinion based on the Mishna (Men. 4:1) which states the tekhelet does not hinder (m’akev) the white and the white does not hinder the tekhelet. The mishna goes on to state that the head tefillin does not hinder the arm tefillin and the arm tefillin does not hinder the head tefillin. The […]
- Am I correct that Rav Schachter’s method is the other interpretation of the Rambam except Rav Schachter uses 2 full blue shamashim (since he says to tie 7 windings per chulya) Not exactly. R. Schachter is not INTERPRETING the Rambam, he is INTEGRATING the Rambam with the Raavad. R. Schachter says to use two full blue, is a completely different issue separate from the tying method. R. Schachter holds that the number of strings should be according to Rashi, Tosafot. – Mois Navon
- Is there any downside to tying like R. Shachter? R. Schachter has derived a sheeta designed to fulfill two differing opinions on tying in the Gemara – i.e., do we tie 7 to 13 groups of 3 wraps, or 3 groups of 7 to 13 wraps. Each position interprets the gemara in opposite fashion and are thus self contradictory. He is surely aware of this and may […]
- My son and I were looking at the Tosafot tying photos from your detailed tying instructions; and forgive me for saying so, but it looks a little sloppy. Is this the way we should expect it to come out, or could it come out looking neater? I’d really like to get the Tosafot tying method, however, some of the other methods are much prettier to look at. As you saw from the web pictures, the Tosafot tying method comes out the way it is shown. I am sorry if you don’t find it particularly attractive. If you read the Tosafot source (see “In his own words” in the tekhelet tying tools page) you will understand that this is the intended outcome. Now, […]
- Regarding the requirement to have 1/3 gdil and 2/3 anaf, does every single string need to maintain that ratio? In my attempt to tie w/ R. Schachter’s method, most of my corners have about six strings that do meet the ratio, and one or two that fall short of it. It would seem that l’chathila all the strings should fulfill the 1/3-2/3 ratio, R. Shachter’s method require an inordinate amount of string an we simply don’t supply enough to fulfill all of his winds ad knots and still have enough for 1/3-2/3. R. Shachter himself writes that it is important to maintain the proper Ratio and if need be […]
Tosafot Schachter Tying Questions
- Am I correct that Rav Schachter’s method is the other interpretation of the Rambam except Rav Schachter uses 2 full blue shamashim (since he says to tie 7 windings per chulya) Not exactly. R. Schachter is not INTERPRETING the Rambam, he is INTEGRATING the Rambam with the Raavad. R. Schachter says to use two full blue, is a completely different issue separate from the tying method. R. Schachter holds that the number of strings should be according to Rashi, Tosafot. – Mois Navon
- I have a question for you regarding R. Schachter’s shitah. I was recently told by a friend that he had changed his original shitah, whereby there were seven chulyot, each with three strings, starting and ending with a white string with blue strings in between. I remember this description from the website. Today I went on the website again and found that it is no longer three strings in each chulyah but seven. Is this his new shitah, and, if so, why did he change it? Thank you very much for your help. You are correct in noting that R. Schachter (in his essay in “Renaissance of a Mitzvah”) originally instructed us to make chulyot consisting of 3 winds and that now (in his new book “Ginat Egoz”) he has changed his method to have chulyot of 7 winds. The reason for this new method, he explains, is in an attempt […]
- I have tied according to Rav Schachter’s old method (3 wind hulyah) and I want to update to his new method (7 wind hulyah). As my strings are already cut to (1/3)(2/3), you wrote in the Tying FAQ that one should make just one hulyah 7 wraps to be yotzei all sheetot mi’d’oraita. My question is: which of the hulyot should be the 7-wind hulyah? Can I just add on to the last hulyah (farthest from the beged) or should I untie back to the first hulyah and expand that one? R. Schachter explains that a hulyah should be 3 wraps minimum and ideally 7 wraps to be yotzei all de’ot. He writes that one can get by with one hulya of 7 wraps by making the first hulya 7 and the rest 3. It seems to me that it is entirely arbitrary which hulya you make […]
- I was asked to tie tehelet for someone according to the Rambam (Temani). Your instructions show 3 winds per chulya. However, you state that there is a machloket as to what Rebbe meant by 7 minimum (maximum 13), i.e., chulyot or windings per chulya. You stated that one view of Rebbe is to have 7 (minimum) windings per chulya. To be yotzai Rav Schachter’s view, and taking into account the shamash length, would it be more ‘proper’ if tying according to Rambam (Temani) to have 7 windings in the first chulya & the rest (the other 12 chulyot) with 3 windings each? The machloket is really: Raavad (7 wraps) v. Everyone else (3 wraps). I believe that if one want to be “yotzei” the view of the Raavad, he should wear another begged tied according to the Raavad. But if this is too cumbersome and one wanted to integrate the sheeta of the Rambam along with the sheeta of […]
- Is there any downside to tying like R. Shachter? R. Schachter has derived a sheeta designed to fulfill two differing opinions on tying in the Gemara – i.e., do we tie 7 to 13 groups of 3 wraps, or 3 groups of 7 to 13 wraps. Each position interprets the gemara in opposite fashion and are thus self contradictory. He is surely aware of this and may […]
- Regarding the requirement to have 1/3 gdil and 2/3 anaf, does every single string need to maintain that ratio? In my attempt to tie w/ R. Schachter’s method, most of my corners have about six strings that do meet the ratio, and one or two that fall short of it. It would seem that l’chathila all the strings should fulfill the 1/3-2/3 ratio, R. Shachter’s method require an inordinate amount of string an we simply don’t supply enough to fulfill all of his winds ad knots and still have enough for 1/3-2/3. R. Shachter himself writes that it is important to maintain the proper Ratio and if need be […]

Baal HaIttur Separation Diagram
See pageLet's meet
Let’s schedule a time to meet in order that you not only are getting strings, but quality service as well. Fill out the form below or email bluefringes613@gmail.com directly.